BJP for Assam-like NRC update in Bengal to drive out Bangladeshi immigrants

Kolkata: Notwithstanding the hue and cry over the exclusion of 40-lakh people from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, BJP has said that they will initiate a similar process in Bengal if the party comes to power.

“If BJP ever comes to power in Bengal, we will catch all the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants by the collar and throw them out of the state. Those who support the immigrants will be dealt with similarly,” West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh told a news conference at the state Assembly today.

Ghosh was reacting to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegation that BJP governments in Assam and at the Centre have deliberately dropped Bengalis and Biharis from the draft NRC in Assam for electoral gains.

The Bengal BJP president accused Trinamool and other parties of trying to “mislead” people over the NRC in Assam. “Let me make it clear, it is not BJP which is behind the update of the NRC. This is being done at the order of the Supreme Court and Congress was in power when the order was passed.”

“Those who are crying over Assam NRC now did they ever react when Hindus were driven out of Kashmir?” Ghosh asked. He maintained that there are as many as 2.5-crore Bangladeshi immigrants in India and they are Muslims.

“This apart there are 2.5-crore Hindu refugees in Bengal alone. India cannot withstand the pressure of so much population and hence, there is a need to drive out the immigrants. We have to ensure that they do not enjoy the benefits of an Indian citizen,” the BJP state president said.

NEWSMEN is an online news portal focused on news and views from Bengal and the Bengali / Bengal diaspora spread all over. Coinciding with the 73rd anniversary of the Quit India Movement, NEWSMEN went live over the world-wide-web on 09 August 2015.